Every year since 2010, Avon and Avon Lake have played for football bragging rights in their border rivalry.
This rivalry features some hardware on Friday as the two teams will play for a trophy called the Silver Rail. The Silver Rail is a trophy that symbolizes the railroad tracks that separate Avon and Avon Lake.
The trophy was created because of Avon’s move into the Southwestern Conference along with Avon Lake and few years ago.
Having the trophy has it’s rewards because the winner keeps the trophy until they meet again the following season. Of course each team wants to win the conference. But it starts with that first step of beating their rival, being they’re in conference, it means a lot.
This year, because there could be conference championship implications as well as playoff implications as well as bragging rights, it has Extra special meaning.
Avon Lake has been no stranger to rivalry trophies in its history. The Shoremen used to have a rivalry game with Bay before the teams went into separate conferences.
Amazingly, Avon and Avon Lake did not play from 1960 until 2007. But when the teams started meeting annually in 2010, the proximity of the two schools has grown the rivalry pretty quickly.
A lot of the kids know each other. They communicate with each other. They see each other when they work out. As well as being just a neighborhood rivalry, the players see it as being friendly enemies. It just adds fuel to the fire and a sense of pride to the community.
Kickoff at Joe Firment Stadium in Avon is at 7 p.m. on Friday. Avon comes in at 2-0 after thoroughly beating Olmsted Falls and Avon Lake will come in at 1-1, looking to bounce back from a road loss at North Olmsted.
Tickets are available at both schools.
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